Fire-screen



C. A. CANNON AND H. E. SCOTT.

FIRE SCREEN. APPLICATION man AUG.23, 191 s.

Patented Aug. 16, 1921.

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U so STATS.

PATENT OFFICE.

. CHARLES A. o NnoN AND HARVEY a soon, or M'CNAB, ARKANSAS.

FIRE-SCREEN.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug. 16, 1921.

Application filed August 23, 1918. Serial No. 251,170.

T 0 all whom it may concern.

B it known that we, CHARLES A. CANNON and HARVEY E. Soorr, itizens of the United States, residing at McNab, in the county of Hempstead and State of Arkansas, have invented new and useful Improvements in Fire-Screens, of which. the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to a fire screen.

An object of the invention is to produce a folding fire screen that may be easily and quickly attached to the front of an open fireplace to prevent sparks or live coals from being thrown out of the fire upon the floor as well as to effectively protect the wooden mantel which is secured to the fireplace, the said device, when not in use, being folded into a small compact structure, and swung above the fireplace opening beneath the mantel and latched in such position.

A further object of the invention is to produce a screen for fireplaces that, in its operative position is set up to provide a rectangular construction disposed outward of the fireplace, the same being constructed of hinged sections foldable one on the other and hin'gedly connected to the fireplace whereby'the said sections may be swung against the said'fireplace upward of the opening therein and latched thereto.

It is a further object of the invention to produce a device of this character which will not detract from the appearance of the fireplace, but as a matter of fact will additionally ornament the same, the construction being extremely simple and cheaply manu-.

factured, readily arranged to screen the fire and readily folded and sustained above the fireplace opening when not in use.

The foregoing objects and others which will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood may be accomplished by a construction, combination and operative arrangement of parts such as illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a fireplace showing the improved folding screen applied thereto and illustrated in operative position;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of the parts illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation showing the screen folded and supported on the fireplace above the fire opening;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail sectional view approximately on the line 44 of Fig. 3;

. Fig. 5 is a similar sectional view approximately on the line 55 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 6 is a similar sectional view approximately on the line 66 of Fig. 3.

Referring now to the drawings in detail,

a fireplace is indicated by the numeral 10, and to the said fireplace is secured a mantel 1 1. The vertical side members 12 of the mantel are, of course, arranged a suitable distance from the opening in the fireplace, and the shelf 13 disposed a considerable distance above the said opening. The face board between the shelf and side members of the mantel is, indicated by the numeral 14;, and upon this face board, below the shelf 13 there is approximately centrally secured an outwardly extending spring clip 15. To the inner edges of the members 12 are secured the angle ends of longitudinally disposed spring clips 16*which are directed toward the opening in the fireplace.

The clip 15 has its outer end rounded downwardly to provide a jaw, and the inner edge of the said jaw is rounded upon itself to form a hook 17.

' The clips 16 are each formed from a strip of spring metal which is rounded or bent uponitself beyond the center thereof to provide inner and outer contacting portions. These portions are bent at a right angle, and

'the outer angle portion is secured to the inner faces of the stiles 12 ofthe mantel. The free ends of the lapping members are bent outwardly to provide jaws 19. The jaws are spaced from each other, the inner jaw being in the nature of a directing element and has its end curved away from the outer jaw. The outer jaw is rounded upon itself in the direction of the inner jaw and has its extremity further rounded upon itself to provide a bead 18.

On the inside of the side members 12 of the mantel 11 slightly above the horizontal lower edge of the tiles at the opening in the fireplace are arranged oppositely disposed outwardly extending brackets. 21, the said brackets having offset lower portions that are secured directly to the sidemembers 12.

The folding screen includes a flat top plate of non-reticulated material which is indicated by the numeral 22, the same preferably having its edges beaded and reinforcing wires located in the said beads. The ends of the wire in the rear bead extend a suitable distance beyond the side edges of the top plate and are indicated by the numeral 23. The projecting ends 23 of the wire are received in elongated slots 24 in the longitudinal arms of the brackets 21, whereby the top plate is hingedly connected to the brackets but is also permitted a limited sliding movement with respect to the brackets and with respect to the fireplace.

On the outer edge of the top plate 22, a suitable distance inward of the ends thereof are secured outwardly extending rounded straps providing what I will term the ears and which are designated by the numerals 25. These ears receive therethrough the upper bar of the outer or face member of the screen, whereby such member is looselycon nected to the top. The outer member of the screen comprises two substantially rectangular frames indicated by the numerals 26 and 27 respectively, the said frames being indepenoent of each other, each being provided with a facing of reticulated material suchas crossed wires 28.

Eachside of the screen comprises two substantially rectangular frames 29 and 30 respectively. These frames equal in height the front'or outer frames but are of a materially less width than the said outer'frames. The adjacent edges of the frames 29 and 30 providing the respective sides of the frame are hingedly connected to each other as indi cated by the numerals 31, the said hinges being preferably in the nature of straps, and in a like manner the outer edge of the side frames are hingedlyconnected to the side edge of the front frames as indicated by the numerals 32;

Y lVhen the device is in operative position the lower edge of the front of the screen rests on the hearth a suitable distance outward of the mantel and fireplace. The sides of the screen extendinwardly so that the inner'edgcs thereof are received between the jaws of the clips 16. This effectively retains the screen in its set up condition. It should have been stated, and is clearly illustrated by the drawings, that the side frames of the screen have secured thereon facings of reticulated material, such as crossed wires, the said facing being indicated by the numerals 38. The slidable top, when the conlVhen the device is to be folded the side screens are brought out of engagement with the clips and are swung over the frontframe. The sections comprising the side frames are then swung against each other as are the sections comprising the front frame. The folded side frames are then swung against the folded front frames. lVhen in such position the folded screen is swung upwardly of the fireplace and the lon gitudinal edge, which normally provides the lower member of the lower section of the front frame is engaged by the hook 17 of the horizontally disposed spring clip 15 which, in connection with the projecting ends of the wire forming the trunnions 25 that engage with the brackets 21 effectively sustains the screen in its inoperative position below the shelf of the mantelll.

Having thus described the invention, what is'claimed as new, is

In combination with a fireplace and a mantel, a bracket located on each side of the fireplace, a sectional folding screen including a swinging top having slidable hinge connections with said brackets, spring clips on the sides of the fireplace engaging adjacent portions of said screen, and a hook above the fireplace adapted to engage and hold the folded screen in elevated position.

in testimony whereof we affix our signatures.

CHARLES A. CANNON. HARVEY E. SCOTT. 

